1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to data processing and, in particular, to multiprocessing systems. Still more particularly, the present invention provides a method, apparatus, and program for service processor surveillance with multiple partitions.
2. Description of Related Art
Symmetric Multiprocessing (SMP) is a multiprocessing architecture in which multiple central processing units (CPUs), residing in one cabinet, share the same memory. SMP systems provide scalability. As business increases, additional CPUs can be added to absorb the increased transaction volume.
Logical partitioning (LPAR) is a logical segmentation of a computer's memory and other resources that allows each CPU to run its own copy of the operating system (OS) and associated applications. LPARs are caused by special hardware circuits and allow multiple system images to run in one machine. This can be multiple instances of the same operating system or different operating systems.
In an LPAR environment, multiple partitions try to monitor the status of the service processor. Each partition probes the surveillance byte in nonvolatile random access memory (NVRAM). If the service processor is in error a partition toggles the surveillance byte and resets the service processor. However, if more than one partition probes the surveillance byte at the same time or before the service processor has a chance to respond, each partition could attempt to reset the service processor and report an error to the partition's operating system.
Another problem that may arise is if the service processor is reset and an error log is generated for the partition's operating system, no other partition will know that the service processor is in error and thus will not generate an error log for its partition's operating system.
Therefore, it would be advantageous to provide a method, apparatus, and program for serializing the surveillance probing and customizing the reporting of the service processor to each partition.